Trace-holder.



Y J. W. MBREDiTH.

TumsHOLDER.'

AIPLIOATIOK FILED 11113328, 1909.

Patented Jan. 10, 1911f.

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JAMES W. MEREDITH, OF CARTHAGE, MISSOURI.

TRACE-HOLDER.

Specification. of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 10, 1911.

Application filed June 28, 1909. Serial No. 504,817.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES W. MEREDITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Carthage, in the county of Jasper and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Trace-Holder, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in trace holders.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of trace holders, and to provide a simple, inexpensive and efiicient device, adapted to be readily applied to the whiflietrees of various vehicles, and capable of effectually preventing a trace from slipping off the end of the whiffietree.

A further object of the invention is to provide a trace holder of this character, which will not deface the trace or wear the whiflietree and which will be equipped with means for holding the loose or free end of a trace when the latter is engaged at an in termediate point with the whiflietree.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and pointed out in the claim hereto appended; it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claim, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing :Figure 1 is a plan view of a trace holder, constructed in accordance with this invention, and shown applied to a Whiflletree and engaging a trace. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view, taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a front elevation, the trace being in section. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the trace holder detached.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawing.

The trace holder, which is constructed of a single piece of soft wire, consists of a longitudinal loop 1 and a transversely disposed loop 2. The wire is bent to form the two loops, and the terminals of the wire are arranged at the adjacent ends of the loops at the bottom thereof, being bent or partially coiled to form eyes 3 and 4. The longitudinal loop 1, which is arranged edgewise in a vertical plane, is composed of an enlarged rectangular outer portion 5 and arm 6. The enlarged outer portion or loop 5 is adapted to receive a trace 7 for retaining the same on the end of a whiifletree 8. The sides or arms 6 of the longitudinal loop 1 are spaced apart to receive the whiflletree, and they are located at the upper and lower faces of the same when the longitudinal loop is in position for holding the trace on the whifiletree, as shown in Fig. 1. The arms or sides 6 are angularly bent adjacent to the enlarged outer portion 5 to form forwardly extending portions 9, which off-set the enlarged trace-receiving portion 5 from the vertical plane of the body portions of the sides or arms 6. This will enable the body portions of the sides or arms 6 to extend along the median portion of the whiflietree when the enlarged trace-receiving outer portion 5 is arranged against the front edge of the said whiiiletree.

The transversely disposed rearwardly extending loop 2 is composed of an enlarged outer trace-receiving portion 10 and short connecting portions or arms 11, arranged at an angle to the inner ends of the sides or arms 6. The wire is bent at the angle, fomed by the sides or arms 6 and 11, to provide an eye 12, which is arranged in vertical alinement with the eyes 3 and ii:-

The trace holder is secured to the whiflietree the desired distance from the end thereof by means of a vertical bolt 13, piercing the whifiletree and extending through the eyes 3, 4: and 12 of the trace holder, upper and lower washers 1 1 and 15 being interposed between the whiflietree and the eyes to prevent the trace holder from scratching or otherwise marring the whiffletree. The bolt pivots the trace holder to the Whittle tree, and the said trace holder is adapted to be swung forward to arrange the enlarged outer portion of the longitudinal loop in advance of the whiffietree. When the trace holder is in this position, the trace may be readily passed through the enlarged portion 5 of the longitudinal loop, and it is 7 hell engaged with the end of the Whitfietree. After the trace has been placed on the whiflietree, the trace holder is swung backward against the whiflietree, and it effectually prevents the trace from moving outward on and becoming disengaged from the whifiietree. The rearwardly extending transverse loop is adapted to receive the loose or free portion of the rear end, of the trace, when the latter is adjusted and engaged at an intermediate point with the end of the Whifiletree.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In combination with a whiflietree, a trace holder constructed of a single piece of Wire and consisting of a longitudinal loop and a transversely disposed loop, said longitudinal loop being formed with side arms which are arranged along the upper and lower faces of the whiflletreesr substantially at the median line thereof, and are spaced from the same, said side armsbeing angularly bent at their outer ends to form forwardly extending portions which connect with and offset the enlarged trace-receiving portion of the longitudinal loop, and cause the latter to be arranged at the front side of the whiffletree, the said transversely disposed sed e i loop being composed of an enlarged outer trace-receiving portion and short connecting arms which are arranged at an angle to the inner ends of the side arms of the longitudinal loop, eyes being formed at the junction of the said short connecting arms with the said side arms, the eye at one side of the whiflietree being single and at the other side being double and formed by the two meeting ends of the wire, said eyes being arranged in vertical alinement, and a single bolt piercing the whiflletree and extending through the said eyes, and pivoting and holding the trace holder to the whiifletree.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES W. MEREDITH.

Vitnesses E. MoCoY, J. H. WVILBUR. 

